A Question For You Experts

F

foxyc

New Member
Jul 28, 2010
36
Vancouver Island
Boat Info
2001 Sundancer 310 DA
Engines
Twin 454 Mercruisers EFI w/Bravo III Drives
Hello
I am having a problem emptying my blackwater tank. Most macerators I have seen or owned, are the kind that wind up.... then gear down and grind the stuff up. This macerator sounds just like my vacu-flush. It worked once... Now I can't get it to pumpout. The gears are working and it sounds like it should work... But nothing.

Any help or suggestions welcomed....
Thanks
 
Could be you sucked your duckbills inside out on a pump out. I fear this is what happened to mine, but I haven't mustered the courage to take the pump apart for fear of throwing up on myself.
 
It was working.... Then nothing. It was after that I had to pay to get it pumped out. Not sure what a duckbill is??
 
Not sure what a duckbill is??
Click to expand...
And you don't want to know !!.
Pay to have it changed if you have a weak stomach. :grin:
 
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Some dockside pump-out station generate huge vacuum so your holding tank is evacuated in about 90 sec. Unless you closed the seacock after your discharge pump before you pumped out, you most likely either sucked the duckbills out of the pump or turned them inside out.

You are about to learn how that puppy works......................
 
Frank,
Can this happen to boats like mine without a maceator discharge system? If so, is there anything that can be done to prevent it?
 
Hmm, since I'm cruising in no discharge waters I have to keep the seacock closed and zip-tied, which might be the trouble preventive measure to what Frank described.

Also, during the pump-out when I flush the tank with fresh water I press the pedal and hold it for 30-40 seconds to have fresh water run and do some cleaning. But, then I wait for the vocuuflush pump to stop before I pump the remaining stuff out again.
 
It could also be that the duckbills in the macerator are just old and worn out. If you've ever put bleach in your holding tank, that'll kill the duckbill valves on the macerator as well. It sounds like you have a sealand T-series discharge pump/macerator (it is what I have) and the info is here:

http://www.sealandsanitation.com/T Series Pump.pdf

You'll note in the blow up diagram there is only a single duckbill on each side of the bellows pump (unlike the 2 on each side of the vacuum pump). If one goes bad or get's inverted, the thing will stop working... and just like the vacuum pump, stuff like tampons, dental floss, etc can get stuck in the duckbills. Also note that to remove the duckbill valves, the threads are reversed. "Righty tighty and lefty loosy" does not work... You have to turn the fittings clockwise to loosen them.
 
I don't use my macerator......I pump-out. Unless you are far out in the ocean (more than 10 or 20 miles), or in an area where pumpout is not an option, why use it?
 
katricol said:
I don't use my macerator......I pump-out. Unless you are far out in the ocean (more than 10 or 20 miles), or in an area where pumpout is not an option, why use it?
Click to expand...

The rule is 3 miles... I use mine all the time when I can... why not?
 
Four Suns said:
The rule is 3 miles... I use mine all the time when I can... why not?
Click to expand...

I second that. Much easier than a pump out and takes no time, as I do it when out anyways. Where is the downside?

I do always wonder if I am getting a better "empty" by discharging as well versus a pump out...
 
I usually FLUSH it out with 4 bowl fulls of water after emptying the holding tank. I just like the idea of 4 - 8 gallons of fresh water rinsing the whole system from the inside every opportunity I get - just in case.
 
Yeah, I try (if I remember) to pump out my holding tank on the way back in to port and then add a couple gallons of fresh water once I'm docked. This keeps the tank clear(ish), diluted and keeps it from stinking.
I had a trip out once in my 26' Tolly when (found out afterwards) there was 2 women on the boat that were dropping tampons into the toilet all day. I had the macerator apart many many times before I got the tank cleared. That's when I learned (the hard way) you have to tell people what to 'not do' when you're on the boat! They didn't know... my fault. :smt009
 
Well...
It was my duckbill valves. I have a T series pump (I was told). It only has two valves and they are located at the top of the tank and really easy to get at. All the stories I have read on here... Had me a little scared and grossed out, but I thought what the hell! Jumped in.... 10 min later... problem solved! It was one of the valves that was stuck open. Just old I guess? Way easier than I thought.
Thanks for all the help.

Bryan
 
When we fuel up I do the fueling and I have the attendant pump my holding tank at the same time. No charge with a fuel up. I guess we have it better than I thought. We can't discharge on Lake Superior and my boat is not capable even if I wanted to cheat. One area I go to doesn't allow gray water discharge either, I have no gray water system so that is a big hassle.
 
How. Do I know if prop is ok after hitting sandbar ? It seems ok and runs apparently ok;
Very slight movement if jiggle it
 
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